Data Act: Proposal for EU rules on access and use of data

Yesterday, the European Commission presented its announced proposal for new legislation on rules for access to and use of data, the so-called Data Act. The Commission hopes that it will stimulate the market for data and data-driven innovation. The Data Act is part of the Commission's Data Strategy for Europe and was preceded by an earlier proposal for rules on data management in the so-called Data Governance Regulation.

The proposal contains, among other things, rules on data sharing including when and how private actors should be obliged to give public actors access to data. There are also rules aimed at giving smaller businesses and consumers better protection on how data can be used. In addition, there is a provision, which is likely to be much debated, that industrial data can only be shared, stored and handled in full compliance with European rules, which is similar to what applies to personal data under the GDPR.

Link to the proposal: Data Act: Commission proposes measures for a fair and innovative data economy